Earthbound
by jan689
Summary: When a hunting trip goes terribly wrong, Aiden must embark on a quest to save his family where he will uncover the mystery behind his past life.


Earthbound

Chapter 1- Hunter Hunted

Aiden carefully drew back his arrow as he directed it towards his target in front of him. Behind the bushes just a few meters away from where he stood, a musk ox was munching on the grass, apparently oblivious to the danger it was in.

With his fingers curled tightly around his bow, his footing secured, and his aim locked on the prize, Aiden fired. The arrow flew, its silver tip flashing under the sunlight, and Aiden silently prayed it would be a one-shot kill. Eventually, the arrow hit its shoulder and the ox bellowed before galloping away. Aiden fired once more, only to strike it in its backside, and the poor animal galloped even faster out of pain and fright.

Aiden slung his bow over his shoulders and watched as the ox ran off into the distance. As much as he wanted to chase after it, he knew better than to pursue an animal much larger than his size. Anyway, the last time he had chased after an animal during a hunt- the animal being a goose by the way- it had ended disastrously with him struggling to get the bird off his shoulders as it repeatedly slapped his face with its wings and pecked him on his head. It had taken ages for his mother and grandmother to pluck out all the feathers off his hair and clothes afterwards. All the while his father and sister stood there and watched, unable to suppress their giggles.

To this day, Layla refused to live it down, going as far as to nicknaming the incident 'The Wild Goose Chase'.

Sitting on a nearby rock, Aiden buried his face in his hands, silently wishing for the week to be over. Why he had agreed to join his father and sister on their annual hunting trip in Greenland this year was still a mystery to him. He didn't even enjoy hunting unlike Layla who had taken after their father's passion for the sport.

Perhaps it was to take his mind off his problems for a while. After all, the year had been quite stressful. Just three months ago, right when he was revising for his upcoming exams (he really shouldn't have skipped his lectures), he received a phone call from Layla telling him that their mother was terminally ill and might not live to celebrate what could've been their last Christmas together. Then, a month later, he received another phone call- this time from the hospital- that their mother had passed on in her sleep.

It was fair to say no one was in the mood to welcome the New Year.

A sudden gust of wind ruffled his hair and Aiden's head shot up in time to see a small lithe figure whizzing past him in a brown blur. Aiden didn't need to guess who it was.

"You can come out now, Sherwin! I know it's you."

The bushes rustled in reply and Aiden rolled his eyes as he marched towards them. "Seriously Sherry, quit fooling around!"

Then, as sudden as it came, the rustling stilled, and Aiden stiffened.

"Sherry…?"

Aiden inched forward and parted the bushes, half-expecting his cousin to pop up and surprise him. Instead, a long, green legless creature leaped out with a loud 'POP!' and all the color drained from his face at once.

Screaming at the top of his lungs, Aiden fired his arrows like a madman in a vain attempt to destroy it. Minutes passed, and the snake was now lying at Aiden's feet, having been mutilated by his arrows.

"Relax Denny, it's not a real snake."

Aiden whipped around to see a young boy leaning against a tree with a hollow can in his hand. His dark brown hair was an unruly mess with leaves and twigs entangled in his curly locks and his deep blue eyes glinted with mischief as always.

Aiden gritted his teeth. "Ha-ha, very funny, Sherry. Couldn't find someone else to prank on?"

Sherwin cocked an eyebrow, his smirk not once wavering as he took a step forward. In a blink of an eye, the boy was standing right beside him with an elbow resting on his shoulder.

"I only wanted to prank my favorite bro, is that wrong?" said Sherwin, fluttering his long eyelashes innocently.

Aiden took a deep breath and exhaled slowly through his nose. Once he was certain he wasn't going to slap his cousin in the face, he spoke, "You could've pranked Layla instead, you know?"

"Yeah but it won't be as funny as you reacting to snakes especially when you scream like a girl!" Sherwin chortled.

"I don't scream like a girl!"

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I- You know what, forget it."

Sherwin blew a raspberry and teased, "You just don't want to admit you're a scaredy-cat." Aiden rolled his eyes, refusing to say a word. Sherwin's face immediately fell at the sight of his ruined toy on the ground and he poked it lightly with his foot.

"That was my favorite snake."

Aiden shot him a glare. "You can always get a new one, you know? Anyway, you should know better than to pull a prank on me like that," he snapped.

"Okay man, just chill!" exclaimed Sherwin, throwing his hands in the air. "Honestly, I never get your fear of snakes. I mean, sure they're nasty and poisonous but you act as if that snake was out to get you or something. Plus, that wasn't even a real snake."

Aiden pursed his lip, wondering if he should tell his cousin about the dark secret behind his fear, how that snake happened to be the same monster that haunted him in his sleep every night since he was five. Or at least, the monster _looked_ like a snake.

A snake with legs and razor-sharp claws, that was.

"Denny…You okay?" asked Sherwin, sounding as if he was worried he might have gone a bit too far with his prank. "Hey look, I'm really sorry for scaring you like that. I only meant it as a joke, honest."

Aiden studied his cousin's face for any indications he was discreetly mocking him only to find none. In fact, the boy seemed genuinely apologetic and guilty even. Cracking a smile, Aiden ruffled the younger boy's hair playfully and told, "You know I can never stay mad at you for long."

Sherwin blew a strand of hair off his face and stared at the spot where the ox had once been. "So, no luck today, huh?"

Aiden snorted. "Please, Sherry, I was so close! That ox could've been my first game in four days since we've been on this stupid island." Sherwin nodded his head in agreement.

"Anyway, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Dad and his friends?" Aiden questioned.

Sherwin shrugged. "Yeah but then I saw you straying off on your own, so I thought I should follow you just in case you get lost."

"Well, I was hoping I would be able to hunt something here since I didn't have much luck back in the hunting grounds. Plus, at least no one is here to see me embarrass myself."

Patting Aiden on the back, Sherwin assured, "Hey, cheer up, bro! That was really a good shot! And I can't even shoot an arrow so yeah. Besides, I'm sure Uncle Ray and Layla will bring us good game tonight."

Looking up at the sky, Sherwin buried his hands in his pockets and added, "Anyway, we better get back to camp soon. The sun's already beginning to set."

Aiden, too, looked up. True enough, the sky had already begun to darken despite the time being only three in the afternoon. "Yeah, you're right," said Aiden. "We better get out of here before Dad finds out that we wandered off without telling anyone."

The two were just about to walk off when they heard a soft thud coming from behind them. They twisted around to see a white bird lying motionless on the snow with an arrow sticking out of its neck.

"Bull's-eye."

Aiden recognized that feminine voice at once and looked up to see a young girl around his age with a smug smile on her face and a hand placed on her hip. Her long auburn hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, falling in waves down her back, and her silver eyes shone like the moon.

"Hey Layla," Aiden greeted, eyeing the large sack behind her. "I see your hunt went well."

"As always," she said, bending down to retrieve her fowl. "I see you didn't manage to get anything as usual."

Aiden scowled. "Cut it out, would you?"

"Well, it's not my fault you can't accept the fact that I'm better in archery than you," Layla mocked. Aiden huffed but said nothing otherwise.

Folding his arms across his chest, Aiden raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Why are you here?"

"Seeing your tendency to walk into trouble whenever it suits you, I decided I should be there to watch out for you."

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much," Aiden snorted. "Anyway, won't Dad get mad if he finds out you're here?"

Swinging her sack over her shoulder, Layla brushed the snow off her trousers and spoke, "Exactly why we should get going. We wouldn't want to get into trouble with Dad now, would we?"

" _We_? I'm sorry but don't you mean _I_ wouldn't want to get into trouble? Besides, Dad never gets mad at you."

Layla winked. "Well, I am his favorite daughter. Anyway, let's get a move on already. Oh, and watch your step."

And with that, the three headed off and it wasn't long before the first few snowflakes began to fall. A strong breeze blew past them, shaking the snow off the branches, and Sherwin shivered. "Great, just what we needed," Sherwin grumbled, wrapping his arms closer around his body. "As long as we don't get caught in a snowstorm, we should be fine," assured Layla who was shivering as well.

Aiden scoffed. "Hopefully."

Sherwin gave Aiden a strange look. "How are you not cold? It's probably -20 degrees out here and I'm wearing five sweaters under this parka!" He questioned.

Layla agreed. "Even I can't get used to the climate here."

Aiden simply shrugged and examined his outfit- an orange parka with a long-sleeved shirt underneath, fingerless leather gloves, jeans and ankle-length boots. "I don't know, I just don't get cold easily."

"Good for you," mumbled Sherwin.

Aiden ignored them, thinking they were merely exaggerating. Besides, it wasn't as if he was wearing his summer attire or anything (although he had worn shorts and a T-shirt on a snow day before back in London, something which horrified his mother).

At that moment something stirred in the trees above them and Aiden froze. "Did you guys hear that?" asked Aiden, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Both Sherwin and Layla turned to look at him.

"Yeah, why?" questioned Sherwin.

Aiden looked to his left. "I don't know why but I have a bad feeling someone's watching us."

"Probably just a bird," Layla told. "Still, it's better to we keep our guard up. Some of the animals here are pretty dangerous."

"Like I don't know that," muttered Aiden.

"Hey, you have the tendency to piss off every animal you encounter which isn't surprising considering you are an idiot."

Aiden's right eye twitched. "I am not an idiot. Plus, it's not even my fault animals hate me."

"Oh really? What about the time you tried to strangle a goose with your bare hands in Grandpa's farm? Seriously, who does that?"

"I was twelve years old, okay! I didn't know any better!"

"Well it was quite a wild goose chase," Layla chuckled.

Aiden groaned, "I was hoping you wouldn't bring it up again."

Out of the blue, a long eerie howl echoed through the forest and the two lapsed into silence. Sherwin gulped and stammered, "Please don't tell me it's what I think it is."

Another long howl rung in the air, sending a chill down Aiden's spine. At last, Layla snapped out of her stupor and calmly instructed, "Just keep walking and stay behind me."

Sherwin looked at Layla. His voice quivered as he spoke, "What if a wolf attacks us? What do we do then?" Layla hushed him, and Sherwin immediately clamped his mouth shut. Without any further hesitation, the three continued to tread through the snow which crunched under the heavy weight of his boots.

Aiden flicked his gaze towards Sherwin and his fear was instantly replaced by concern when he noticed the latter trembling violently like a leaf. "You alright, Sherry?" Aiden asked, wrapping his arm around the younger boy's shoulders.

Sherwin mustered a weak smile. "Yeah, it's just freezing out here," he admitted, sneezing into his hand. Aiden frowned, having taken notice of his flushed cheeks and reddened nose, and felt his forehead. "I think you're coming down with a cold. We need to get you back to camp and fast." Sherwin wordlessly nodded his head, nesting against his cousin's warm chest.

Aiden looked around. Everywhere they went, he saw nothing but snow-covered trees with icicles hanging from them like crystal drops. He occasionally spotted a bird or two nesting in the branches, and a gray squirrel scurrying up and down a tree. All was quiet except for the rustling of trees against the wind and the gentle chirps of birds which lifted his heart a little.

Maybe the hunting trip wasn't such a bad idea after all, he thought. Besides, he did get a scenic view of the landscape in Greenland on his first day here and he got to spend time some quality time with his father. If only Layla weren't here to ruin things for him.

Speaking of that witch, Layla suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, her shoulders tense and her limbs stiff as though she'd been turned into a statue. "What's wrong, Lay-Lay?" Sherwin asked.

Layla gestured for him to be quiet. "Don't move," she whispered as she slowly grabbed her bow and arrow, and Aiden followed her.

Out of instinct, his eyes drifted to his left and his heart palpitated against his chest when he thought he saw a dark figure leaping out of a branch before disappearing out of sight.

"Did you guys see that?"

Sherwin furrowed his forehead. "See what?"

Aiden motioned towards the trees and told, "Up there in the branches."

Sherwin gulped. "Could it be a wolf?"

Aiden didn't reply. With his bow drawn back, he aimed at the branches as he carefully stepped closer towards the trees.

"Aiden, what are you doing?! Get back here now!" Layla hissed.

Of course, Aiden ignored her.

A second later, a dark shadowy figure came into view, its glowing blue eyes staring right at him. Then, it flashed its brilliant white teeth and snarled.

"Aiden watch out!"

The creature sprung out of the branches and Aiden felt someone pushing him out of the way before it could pounce on him. Craning his neck, he saw Layla looking down at him with concern.

"You okay?" She said. Aiden nodded his head and Layla helped him up before she smacked him on the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" Aiden asked, rubbing his arm.

"For being stupid, duh! That was such a reckless thing to do!" Layla chastised.

"I was only trying to help…"

"You almost got yourself killed!"

"Um guys…," Sherwin interjected, drawing the twins' attention towards the more important matter at hand.

The beast eyed them with a snarl. Then, it threw its head back and howled. Aiden felt himself trembling from head to toe as the wolf's howl pierced the air.

Without thinking, Aiden drew his bow.

"Aiden, no!" shrilled Layla.

Too late, the arrow struck the wolf in the eye and the beast shook its head with a loud whimper. Then, it sneered at him and Aiden instantly regretted having fired that arrow in the first place.

"Um Denny…I think you just pissed it off!" said Sherwin.

Aiden spat, "You think I don't know that?!"

With a growl, the wolf unsheathed its claws and lunged at them. Layla swiftly fired her arrow, striking it in its shoulder, and the wolf collapsed.

"Run!"

The three broke into a sprint just as the wolf recovered from its injury and chased after them. Aiden occasionally fired his arrows backwards, only to end up missing terribly.

"Would you cut it out?! You're making things worse!" yelled Layla.

Aiden gaped at her in disbelief. "Make things worse? I'm sorry but can't you see that wolf's after us right now!"

"Exactly, you dummy! If you hadn't shot it in the eye, we could've had the chance to escape!"

"Oh, so all of this is my fault, huh?!"

"Can you guys discuss this later? We have bigger problems right now!" Sherwin exclaimed, gesturing towards the trees in front of them.

Aiden and Layla both looked up to see more glowing blue eyes staring down at them. "Great, just great," muttered Layla, drawing her bow. Aiden was about to notch his arrow when Layla raised her hand in a halting gesture and shook her head disapprovingly. "Just let me handle this, little bro. You've given us enough trouble already."

Aiden clenched his jaw. "Hey, I know I messed up, okay? You don't have to rub it in my face!"

Layla didn't bother to argue back. A wolf lunged at her and she fired, striking it down with a single shot. Another leaped out of the trees and bushes followed by another and another, but Layla took them down with her arrows.

One of the wolves attempted to bite off Sherwin's neck but thanks to his extremely fast reflexes, the boy dodged before it could decapitate him. "Phew! That was close!"

Aiden locked his aim on one of the wolves and fired. He pumped his fist in the air when the arrow struck the wolf in the heart, killing it instantly.

If they weren't so busy running for their lives, he probably would've taken a moment to celebrate his first successful hunt in days.

The twins continued to fire until their limbs grew tired. Fatigue and exhaustion were already beginning to wash over them. Worse, they were running short of arrows and the wolves were showing no signs of stopping in their pursuit.

"There's too many of them!" Layla screamed.

Aiden fought to remain conscious. His eyes darted towards Layla and Sherwin who were starting to slow as well. "I don't know if I can keep this up much longer," panted Sherwin. Even Layla seemed to be struggling to fend off the wolves, her arms trembling and her aim slightly off its mark. Her hair had flown out of its ponytail and long wavy strands were now whipping around her face in the wind.

Aiden bit his lip. Layla might be an excellent huntress but that didn't mean she would be able to slay all the wolves at the same time especially when they were clearly outnumbered. As for Sherwin, although he could just run at full speed and leave them behind (something which Sherwin would never think of doing), he could succumb to exhaustion or hypothermia before he ever reached camp.

Soon, the three found themselves cornered and they pressed their backs against each other as the beasts circled them, daring them to make a move.

"Three against the whole pack. What do we do now?" Aiden asked.

Layla drew her bow. "Shoot them."

"For once, I agree with you sis."

And with that, the wolves threw themselves at the trio. The twins quickly shot them down, striking them in their heads and chests. Meanwhile, Sherwin grabbed a handful of rocks from the ground and threw them at the wolves at lightning speed. The rocks flew at them like bullets, hitting the wolves on their faces.

"Aiden look out!"

Aiden whipped around just as a wolf pinned him to the ground, knocking his bow off his hand. He grappled with the wolf, cringing as he felt its warm saliva dripping down onto his face and clothes.

Then, out of the blue, the scene shifted before him. No longer was he facing a wolf but rather the serpent from his dreams. Its beady eyes gleamed maliciously, and its jaws were wide open, ready to swallow him whole. Aiden's arms were stretched out in front of him, his hands wrapped tightly around the monster's venomous fangs. His bows and arrows laid too far away for him to reach and he was alone with no one to help him. The serpent dug its claws deeper into his skin and Aiden reeled in pain.

 _"Yes…Scream as much as you like,"_ the serpent hissed. _"You will be finished soon enough."_

The serpent's fangs pierced his shoulders and Aiden's vision blackened.

Suddenly, Aiden felt a huge weight being lifted off him and he opened his eyes. A polar bear was standing in front of him with a wolf in its jaws. The bear tossed his attacker aside and more wolves began to hurl themselves at it, biting and clawing it everywhere. The bear arched its back, roaring in pain before it swung its massive arms and flung the wolves around like ragdolls.

Aiden shakily sat up with a wince. He examined his injuries, none of which were fatal thankfully. Aiden looked around.

"Sherwin, where's Layla?!" He demanded.

Sherwin, who was as white as a sheet, pointed at the bear and Aiden stared at the animal in confusion. Soon, realization dawned on him and his mind reeled with a million questions at once.

"She got angry when she saw you being mauled by that mutt," explained Sherwin. "Then she started acting weird and yeah…"

Aiden nodded his head though he was still struggling to register the fact that his sister was a shape-shifter.

A sudden roar snapped him out of his thoughts and Aiden's head whipped around in time to see Layla being bitten in the shoulder.

"Layla!" He shrieked. Aiden watched as his sister fell onto the snow in a heap. Before she could get up again, the wolves jumped on top of her and ruthlessly sank their teeth and claws into her flesh. Aiden's stomach churned when he saw blood seeping into the snow- his sister's blood.

Before he could think of anything to save his sister, Sherwin was already rushing towards the wolves with a stick in his hand.

"Get off of her, you mutts!" He yelled, batting the wolves in the face and chest with lightning speed.

One of the wolves leaped at him and Aiden staggered to his feet, propelling himself forward before pushing Sherwin out of the way. All at once, the wolves came down upon him and he curled into a fetal position, shielding his head with his arms as the wolves ripped his clothes and dug their claws into his flesh.

This was it. This was the end for him.

At that moment, a surge of energy coursed through him and Aiden felt his temperature elevating rapidly. A split second later, howls and shrieks of pain rung in the air followed by a pungent smell which almost made him gagged.

"Um Denny…?"

Aiden slowly sat up, careful not to exacerbate his injuries. To his shock, the wolves were now lying a few feet away from him on the snow, whimpering in pain. Their fur singed, and smoke was rising from them as if they had just been roasted alive.

Aiden stared at his hands. "What in the world?"

"Whoa Denny, that was so cool! You never told me you could shoot fireballs!" Sherwin exclaimed.

Aiden looked at him, wondering if he had finally lost his mind. "What are you talking about?"

"You just blasted those mutts with fire, dude! Didn't you know that? Oh, that was so awesome, you're like the Human Torch!"

Aiden rolled his eyes. His heart stopped when he realized Layla was still in bear form and she hadn't stirred one bit. Fear crept up his throat and he immediately feared the worst. Sherwin, having seen Layla's unconscious state, stopped jumping up and down excitedly at once. "Oh no…"

"Layla!" Despite his pain and lightheadedness from blood loss, Aiden ran towards her with Sherwin behind him. They knelt beside her and watched as Layla reverted into her human form with a groan. "Layla, wake up! Come on!" Aiden pleaded, cradling her close to his chest. He slapped her lightly on the cheek but received no response.

"Is she…?" Sherwin's words trailed off.

Aiden pressed his fingers against her neck and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a pulse beating though it was rather weak. "She's alive but she needs help and fast," he informed.

Sherwin tugged at his sleeve. "Denny, I hate to say it, but we got company!"

Aiden looked up to see the whole pack standing in front of them and he cussed.

"Use your fireballs!" Sherwin suggested.

Aiden goggled at him. "But I don't know how I did that just now!"

"Well, at least do something!"

Aiden turned his gaze towards his hand and concentrated as hard as he could. Tiny sparks ran along his fingertips until finally, his hand was wrapped in his flames.

Sherwin squealed. "That is so cool."

With a sweep of his hand, Aiden sent a wave of fire towards the wolves and the beasts backed off at once. "Now's our chance. Come on!" Aiden spoke, grabbing his bow and arrows. He gently lifted Layla in his arms, carrying her bridal style, and the boys ran off.

Layla softly moaned and shifted a little. "Hang on, Layla. Help is on the way," Aiden assured, holding her closer to his chest.

Aiden mentally counted his remaining arrows- only ten left. He looked behind him. The wolves were getting closer and closer, and his stamina was fading fast.

Aiden twisted around, taking in the situation before him. The wolves would continue chasing after them and they couldn't keep running forever. Fighting wasn't an option either and they were still so far from the campsite. Not to mention, Layla would perish from blood loss if she didn't get medical attention soon and Sherwin wouldn't survive in these extreme weather conditions much longer.

It was clear not all of them would make it out alive.

However, if Aiden stayed and distracted the mutts, he could at least buy his sister and cousin some time to escape to safety. After all, he still had some strength left in him to fight and he was resistant to cold. Plus, Sherwin was an excellent navigator, so he could find his way back.

"Sherwin, take Layla," ordered Aiden, handing Layla to the younger boy.

Sherwin blinked in confusion. "Denny, what are you doing?"

Aiden whipped out his bow and arrow. With a stern look on his face, he told, "Sherry, I want you and Layla to get out of here as fast as you can. I'll stay behind to fend these dogs off."

Tears welled in Sherwin's eyes. "Denny, don't you dare…"

"Sherwin, I mean it. Go!"

"But-"

"Just GO! NOW!"

Sherwin looked at him sadly but did not protest any further. With Layla's arm around his shoulders, Sherwin sped off and disappeared within a flash.

Before the wolves could run after him, Aiden threw a rock at one of them, hitting them on the head. "Hey, over here!" He shouted, whistling and waving his arms in the air.

The wolves growled, and Aiden bolted to his left. Each time a wolf attacked, he struck it down in the chest before it could have the chance to rip him to pieces.

Aiden's heart gave a leap of joy when he saw a clearing not far away from him and pumped his legs even harder. A wolf pounced on top of him, knocking his bow and arrow off his hands. As he grappled with the animal, Aiden quickly got out his hunting knife from his belt and plunged it into its arm. The beast reeled back with a howl and Aiden stabbed it once more in the abdomen. The wolf fell on its side and Aiden gathered his bow and arrows as he scrambled to his feet.

He made it to the clearing only to find that it led to the edge of a tall cliff. He stared at the icy waters below and turned back only to find himself cornered by the whole pack.

Aiden rapidly fired his arrows. One by one, the wolves fell to the ground. Despite that, the pack relentlessly attacked him, and Aiden's panic rose when he realized he had run out of arrows.

Mustering all the strength he had left, Aiden summoned a fireball and threw them at the wolves, burning them to crisps. He backed away as the wolves came towards him until he was standing at the edge of the cliff.

All the wolves pounced on top of him at the same time and time seemed to slow right there and then. The next thing he knew, they were plummeting in the air and Aiden's heart rose to his throat.

A minute later, he was greeted by a burning sensation on his skin and Aiden watched as the water turned red before his eyes. A ray of light shone down on him and he reached out to touch it.

As his eyes began to close, he saw a hand grabbing his wrist and the next thing he knew, he was being hauled out of the water. He felt himself being laid on something soft and wet- a patch of grass perhaps. His eyes cracked open to see a girl with dark hair and brown eyes staring down at him.

" _Angel_."

Then, his vision blackened, and he passed out.


End file.
